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My Grandfather And Pancho Villa
May. 27th, 2013 09:55 amMy paternal grandfather became estranged from his family in the 1930's, but I traced him to the California State Guard in 1942. This was a state militia (sort of a home guard) that was mobilized after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, when California was declared a war zone. He was in his 50's by then, but I guess the younger men were wanted for the regular army.
A family story is that when he was younger he chased Pancho Villa through Mexico in 1916, and sure enough, this same California State Guard was the force that was involved in that.
Here's one interesting account of the young George Patton.
"On May 14, Lieutenant George S. Patton, 8th Cavalry, raided the San Miguelito Ranch, near Rubio, Chihuahua. Patton, a future World War II general, was out looking to buy some corn from the Mexicans when he came across the ranch of Julio Cárdenas, an important leader in the Villista military organization. With fifteen men and three Dodge armored cars, Patton led America's first armored vehicle attack and personally shot Cárdenas and two other men. The young lieutenant then had the three Mexicans strapped to the hood of the cars and driven back to General Pershing's headquarters at Colonia Dublán. Patton is said to have carved three notches into the twin Colt Peacemakers he carried, representing the men he killed that day. General Pershing nicknamed him the "Bandito"."
A family story is that when he was younger he chased Pancho Villa through Mexico in 1916, and sure enough, this same California State Guard was the force that was involved in that.
Here's one interesting account of the young George Patton.
"On May 14, Lieutenant George S. Patton, 8th Cavalry, raided the San Miguelito Ranch, near Rubio, Chihuahua. Patton, a future World War II general, was out looking to buy some corn from the Mexicans when he came across the ranch of Julio Cárdenas, an important leader in the Villista military organization. With fifteen men and three Dodge armored cars, Patton led America's first armored vehicle attack and personally shot Cárdenas and two other men. The young lieutenant then had the three Mexicans strapped to the hood of the cars and driven back to General Pershing's headquarters at Colonia Dublán. Patton is said to have carved three notches into the twin Colt Peacemakers he carried, representing the men he killed that day. General Pershing nicknamed him the "Bandito"."
